Unified frequency synthesizer for direct conversion receiver or transmitter

A method for conversion of signals in a communication device, comprising:

• generating with a frequency synthesizer a synthesizer output signal Sfs having a first frequency;
• generating a second signal Sd by selectively performing a frequency dividing operation on said first signal in accordance with one of a plurality of predetermined divisor values;
• using said second signal in a modulator or demodulator to perform a frequency conversion operation on a third signal.

A communication device, comprising:

• a frequency synthesizer operable to generate a first signal Sfs within a predetermined synthesizer frequency tuning range of said frequency synthesizer;
• a divider module configured to selectively generate a second signal Sd having any one of a plurality of predetermined second frequency tuning ranges, said divider module configured to selectively perform a frequency dividing operation on said first signal in accordance with any one of a plurality of predetermined divisor values;
• a frequency conversion device comprising a modulator or demodulator, said frequency conversion device configured to use said second signal to perform a frequency conversion operation on a third signal.

A direct conversion communication device comprising:

• a single frequency synthesizer operable to generate a frequency synthesizer output signal;
• at least one frequency divider configured for generating a reduced frequency signal, said frequency divider configured to selectively divide said single frequency synthesizer output signal by an integer divisor value;
• wherein said reduced frequency is variable to include every frequency said direct conversion communication device is designed to receive within a plurality of frequency bands by adjusting a frequency of said single synthesizer output signal and said divisor value.